Highlights from CBC Radio NS – Information Morning, January 27, 2020
Listen to CBC Radio to hear A for Adventure discuss the growing number of people taking up cross-country skiing and the many awesome places you can cross-country ski in our province. Click to listen to complete segment (10:09).
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Click graphic above to listen to A for Adventure’s segment on CBC Radio.
Conversation Highlights
My goodness is it fun (referencing skate skiing)! It’s exploding in popularity in the last 5 – 10 years. The interest in cross-country skiing this season has gone through the roof. There’s record high numbers of members at ski clubs across the province, retailers in Nova Scotia are reporting sales for ski equipment more than doubling from previous years, and programs for cross-country skiing are high across the board.
Some of the good locations right now, places like Dollar Lake Provincial Park, just re-groomed as of yesterday, Graves-Oakley Park which is found near Spyfield, apparently there are really good conditions as well. (Note these trail systems are maintained by Halifax Nordic Ski Club, users are encouraged to purchase a membership to support grooming efforts.)
Golf Courses
Golf clubs have opened up their courses? Yes, places like Oakfield Golf Course near the airport, Paragon down in the Valley is open, The Links at Brunello right here in the city over in the Timberlea area that’s open and groomed. It’s great to see golf courses adapt to winter sports as well. Do you have to pay to go to the golf courses to cross-country ski? Highly recommend if you are interested in using these places often, through the Halifax Nordic Ski Club, you can buy a membership. This membership helps pay for the grooming and the upkeep of these places, which I think is really important. If you are someone who is looking to get into the sport who has been using these trails quite often, to help with the maintenance would be certainly highly encouraged.
Any Places to Recommend Skiing?
When you trend a little further outside the city, I would highly recommend Keppoch up in Antigonish.
If you have the chance to get up to Cape Breton, then I would certainly point you in the direction of North Highlands Nordic, which might be one of the crown jewels of cross-country skiing in the province, because up there you have the mountains, really reliable snow, and the view looking down the Aspy fault mountain range is absolutely stunning.
North Highlands Nordic, which might be one of the crown jewels of cross-country skiing in the province, because up there you have the mountains, really reliable snow, and the view looking down the Aspy fault mountain range is absolutely stunning.
A FOR ADVENTURE | JANUARY 27, 2021
Recommended Overnight Ski Trips?
If you want to do an overnight trip, for example, do a lot of skiing one day, then stay over and do a little bit more – where would you go, Chris? There’s a few places for this for sure. Jan mentioned North Highlands Nordic, in Northern Cape Breton which is beautiful, it’s actually not open today, they’ve had a lack of snow which is odd, they’re chomping at the bit… that would be a spot that I would go. You know they could get snow overnight and just like that, all of a sudden it’s the perfect conditions, so, I would still be planning my trip up there for sure. You know, staying there, at a place like the Highlands Hostel, which is a really awesome spot to stay; it’s really big, they have a great COVID protocol going on up there, lots of separate entries, different rooms and private rooms, it’s a great spot.
Facebook Group for Skiing Conditions
And you’ve found a Facebook Group that tracks where the best conditions are? Yes, now folks who are into cross-country skiing are into it! This Facebook Group is active (NS XC Skiiers Searching for Skiable Snow). We saw people posting about places that they’ve skied you know trails, lakes, more official places. It’s a really excellent resource and we highly recommend that you check it out because there were a lot of people offering advice back-and-forth saying this place is good, this place isn’t so good, talking about equipment loans and rentals and things that you can get as well and some gear for sale on there as well.
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Be sure to listen to full segment (click here)!
Golf Clubs Grooming for Cross-Country Skiing – HRM + Kingston
Halifax Nordic Ski Club is grooming, in partnership with three golf courses. This club grooms 7 trail systems with approximately 40km of trails in Halifax Regional Municipality and surrounding areas. Learn more about Halifax Nordic by viewing, Halifax Nordic Trails + Programs. (Photo credits L-R: Melanie MacDermid, Lorenzo Caterini & Skier Contributed)
Cape Breton Nordic Grooming at Seaview Golf and Country Club – North Sydney, Cape Breton
Cape Breton Nordic is based at Seaview Golf and Country Club in North Sydney, Cape Breton. Learn more about this club, by visiting https://www.facebook.com/capebretonnordic.
North Highlands Nordic – Northern Cape Breton Island
North Highlands Nordic is located in Cape North, Cape Breton Island. The club recently built a new trail, groomer building / storage area, and a new ski chalet is planned for 2021-2022 season. Read more about this historic club’s building project, NHN New Construction.
Cabot Landing Provincial Park
A for Adventure enjoying the scenic vistas of Cabots Landing. (Photo by A for Adventure.)
Cabots Landing Provincial Park is a picnic and beach park on the shore of Aspy Bay, Cape Breton Island. The Park features a National Historic Site cairn commemorating the landfall of John Cabot. Cabots Landing was formerly a launching site for Mi’kmaq to paddle to Newfoundland. The scenic vistas of the steep face of the Pollets Cove-Aspy Fault Wilderness Area can be enjoyed in every season. This park is located 10 km from North Highlands Nordic.
Rails to Trails, Inverness
A for Adventure skiing on the rails to trails a few minutes from Inverness. (Photo by A for Adventure.)
Groomed Trails
Groomed cross-country ski trails in Nova Scotia. Note that club trails are labelled in red. Click image to view interactive Google Map.
Directory Trails and Equipment
Listing of trails, equipment, weather, road info & more. Equipment includes where to rent, borrow or buy.
>Directory: Trails, Equipment & Weather
Conditions Reports
Updated daily. Reports for groomed club trails and areas groomed by municipalities. View, click this link.
About – A for Adventure
A for Adventure’s story – view video to learn more.
A for Adventure aims to inspire kids, families and people to get out and explore the world around them! We want to inspire the next generation to get outside and play, creating a foundation for a happier, healthier life… and a better life for our planet too!
We believe that spending more time outside connecting with nature helps to build greater curiousity, creativity and resiliency. By spending more time outside, we develop a greater appreciation for our planet and our need to protect it.
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Cross Country Nova Scotia 